Raleigh, N.C. –
North Carolina voters disapprove of the way Republicans are running state
government in general and of several of their specific policy proposals. Just
38% of voters say they approve of the job Republicans as a whole are running
state government, while 52% disapprove. The General Assembly as a whole fares
particularly badly, with just 23% job approval and 49% disapproval. 50% say they
have an unfavorable opinion of Republicans in the North Carolina Legislature
compared to 36% who hold a favorable opinion. Democrats in the Legislature fare
only slightly better, with a 38%-44% favorability rating. Only Governor Pat
McCrory himself sees a net positive job approval rating, with 49% approving and
35% disapproving.
The policies North Carolina Republicans are pushing just aren’t viewed very
favorably by voters: just 36% support a proposed law banning the baring of
women’s breasts compared to 41% who oppose it; 30% support the Legislature
eliminating the earned income tax credit while 42% oppose it; and only 26%
support the Legislature blocking the expansion of Medicaid health care coverage
to roughly 500,000 North Carolinians while 56% oppose. And fully 68% of voters
say they should have the option to vote straight-party ticket if they choose
to, while 21% say they should not. As such it may not come as much of a
surprise that Democrats lead Republicans in the general ballot for State Legislature:
47% say they’d vote for a Democrat and 41% say a Republican in the next
election.
“For a second straight legislative session we are finding that North
Carolinians oppose much of the Republican agenda,” said Dean Debnam, President
of Public Policy Polling. “Luckily for Pat McCrory though the unpopularity of
his colleagues on Jones Street isn’t rubbing off on him yet.”
Voters also say they support banning assault weapons, 50-41, and that they
would support Congress passing stricter gun laws in general, 53-38. Senator
Richard Burr’s job approval rating is 37-37. President Obama’s approval rating
is 47-50.
PPP surveyed 611 North
Carolina voters from March 7th to 10th. The margin of
error for the survey is +/-4.0%. This poll was not
paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys
are conducted through automated telephone interviews.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 47%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 3%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Pat
McCrory’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .49%
Disapprove…………. .35%
Not sure …………….. .16%
Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator
Richard Burr’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .37%
Disapprove…………. .37%
Not sure …………….. .26%
Q4 Do you approve or disapprove of the job
Republicans as a whole are doing of running
state government?
Approve …………….. .38%
Disapprove…………. .52%
Not sure …………….. .10%
Q5 Do you approve or disapprove of the job the
General Assembly is doing?
Approve …………….. .23%
Disapprove…………. .49%
Not sure …………….. .28%
Q6 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Democrats in the North Carolina
Legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 38%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 44%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Republicans in the North Carolina
Legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 36%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%
Q8 Generally speaking, if there was an election for
the state legislature today, would you vote for
the Democratic or Republican candidate from
your district?
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 47%
Republican……………………………………………… 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%
Q9 Would you support or oppose banning assault
weapons?
Support ………………………………………………….. 50%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 41%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%
Q10 Would you support or oppose Congress
passing stricter gun laws?
Support ……………… .53%
Oppose ……………… .38%
Not sure …………….. . 9%
Q11 Do you support or oppose a proposed North
Carolina law to prohibit the baring of women’s
breasts?
Support ……………… .36%
Oppose ……………… .41%
Not sure …………….. .23%
Q12 Do you support or oppose the legislature
eliminating the earned income tax credit?
Support ……………… .30%
Oppose ……………… .42%
Not sure …………….. .28%
Q13 Do you support or oppose the legislature
blocking the expansion of Medicaid health care
coverage to roughly 500,000 North
Carolinians?
Support ……………… .26%
Oppose ……………… .56%
Not sure …………….. .19%
Q14 Do you think North Carolina voters should be
allowed to vote a straight-party ticket, or not?
Voters should be
allowed to vote a
straight-party ticket .68%
They should not ….. .21%
Not sure …………….. .11%
Q15 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 12%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 18%
Moderate………………………………………………… 25%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 23%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 22%
Q16 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 51%
Man……………………………………………………….. 49%
Q17 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 44%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 22%
Q18 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 72%
African-American …………………………………….. 21%
Other……………………………………………………… 7%
Q19 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 15%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 37%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
Q20 Area Code
252………………………………………………………… 18%
336………………………………………………………… 19%
704………………………………………………………… 18%
828………………………………………………………… 11%
910………………………………………………………… 12%
919………………………………………………………… 22%
